Steven, the head
mechanic of the pirate shipGalaxia,
is frustrated that he is unable to repair the ship's engines on his own. He’s
further irritated when his captain hires outside help to assist him.

Chris is one of
the two original creators of the engines used on theGalaxia, but he’s been
retired—so to speak—for years now. When Steven arrives requesting his help,
Chris is instantly intrigued by the young man and takes the job just to get a
chance at him. Before they can even start, however, theGalaxiacomes under attack by the military,
and Chris is identified as a deserter.

With no choice,
Chris joins the crew and sets out to find a way to fix the engines and avoid
his own arrest. During the trip, Chris and Steven must come to terms with their
mutual attraction—and whether or not to act on it.

Steven glowered as the ship entered planetary
orbit with Maris. The ocean-covered planet was like a blue-green jewel nestled
against a black velvet blanket. Its two moons, Lara and Ula, created the
perfect accent and, of course, controlled the tides. If this were a leisure
trip to the beautiful planet, Steven may have been in a better mood. Instead,
all he felt was irritation and defeat.

Having to rely on outside help to fix the
engines was the last thing he ever wanted. He’d put his entire being into
keeping the Galaxia’s engines running
smoothly at peak performance. Now, because of numbskulls, he was experiencing
the first true crisis in his career as the pirate ship’s head mechanic.

“You ready?” Tony asked. The short navigator
had promised to accompany Steven onto the planet to find this Chris guy the
captain said could help them repair the Galaxia.
Steven wasn’t so sure about that. Unless the guy could build an entire engine
from scratch.

“Like I have a choice,” Steven grumbled as he
moved down the corridor to the cargo hold. They were taking one of the main
shuttles down. The Galaxia was far
too big to enter and exit the planet’s atmosphere.

Tony patted him on the back encouragingly. “Hey,
worst case he’s a deadbeat we can tell to get lost.”

“Enough,” Craig ordered. “Chris lives on the
island Aerwyna. It’s small, but popular with tourists due to the reefs
surrounding it. We’ll be landing directly on the island, near his place of
residence and work.”

Steven stepped into the shuttle as Craig
continued to give orders and ensure everyone understood their part to play. The
party going down consisted of four men: Steven, Tony, Craig, and Darrel. All
Steven had to do was talk to this guy and get him to agree to work on the Galaxia’s engines.

After taking his seat on the shuttle, Steven
strapped himself in and slid his earpiece into place. He had a gun at his hip,
but he doubted he’d need to use it. The planets in the Tri-Paradise system were
ungodly peaceful. People came here for vacation. Still, it had become a habit
to carry a weapon even before he signed on with Sidney and the Galaxia. Palming the cold metal of the
pistol, he sighed as Tony took the shuttle out of the hold and sped toward the
planet.

The small ship jolted and jerked, flames
licking at the outer hull as the atmosphere lit with the friction of entry.
Once they slowed enough due to drag, the flames flickered out and Tony steered
them in the direction of their target.

Steven ignored the gasps and awed sounds from
his crewmembers as they all looked out the windows. He never wanted to come
here in the first place. Why did this Chris have to be on a fucking ocean
planet? He couldn’t be on a developed planet? No, he just had to be in the one
type of place Steven hated the most.

“If you keep glaring like that, you’ll never
convince Chris to help,” Craig teased. Steven glowered at the first mate. He
didn’t see what his expressions had to do with anything. The only reason he was
even doing this was because Sidney had ordered him to seek this guy’s help
himself.

“Two minutes until arrival,” Tony shouted
behind him.

Sitting up, Steven braced himself for what was
going to be a humiliating process. He could see the island of Aerwyna in the
distance, quickly getting bigger as they approached. It didn’t even look that
populated! A small resort stood on the western-facing beaches, and a small
village sprawled out behind that.

Steven felt himself tensing at the memories the
sight was dragging up. He hated island villages! He just knew as soon as that
door opened and the salty sea air hit him, he was going to be sick.

Tony brought the ship to a smooth landing on an
airstrip just outside the village, and once the engines were off, he opened the
doors. Steven’s stomach heaved as the fresh air rushed in. Why did it have to
be an ocean planet?

“You going to be okay?” Craig looked amused standing
in front of the ramp as it lowered to the ground.

“Let’s just get this over with,” Steven managed
to grumble out between shallow breaths and trying not to gag.

“Right,” Craig said with a laugh. “Darrel, you
stay with the shuttle. We’ll be back soon, hopefully.”

Oh, they’d be back as soon as Steven could get
the information from the man. He didn’t need his help to actually fix the
engines. He just needed his knowledge. For that exact reason, he’d brought a
holographic schematic of the damage. All this Chris guy had to do was show him
what needed to be done and how, and he’d be on his way. No reason to make this
more complicated than it already was.

They got a small land vehicle, a primitive jeep-looking
thing, from a rental desk stationed in the airport, and Steven sat in the
backseat. He ignored the flirting couple in the front. Tony was talking about
how he wanted to go swimming, while Craig obviously just wanted to see the
navigator wet. Steven couldn’t understand the desire to be intimate with
someone. Having someone so close to his personal space made Steven
uncomfortable. Sure, he had the craving to let loose every now and then, but he’d
never wanted one of those faceless fucks to hang around.

As they got closer to the village and resort,
Steven spotted a large repair hangar and his hopes were piqued. Maybe this guy
was worth his salt after all. Steven even recognized the company’s name on the
side of the building. Laser Aeronautics was a chain of mechanic shops scattered
across the cosmos. They had a reputation for only hiring the best.

It took Steven a moment to notice they were
driving right past the large building and down to the docks. What the hell was
going on? Why would a starship mechanic be found down here?

When they came to a stop outside a small shack,
Chris’s Boat Repair painted in green
on a wooden sign hanging above the door, Steven felt his temper flare. Was this
some kind of sick joke? A boat mechanic? Had Sidney lost his ever-loving mind?

With a sigh, Steven climbed out of the vehicle
only to duck down when a shot rang out above his head. He pulled his pistol
from the holster at his hip, spun around, and took aim in the direction the
shot came from in one fluid motion. His breath froze in his lungs and his heart
went silent as he waited for another sign of hostility.

“Easy!” Craig shouted, raising his hands. Tony
was standing beside him, his own weapon drawn. The navigator looked deadly as
he scanned their surroundings. “Chris, we just came to talk!”

“I thought I told you and your brother to
forget I exist.” The rough voice that preceded the man who walked out onto the
small front porch had Steven frowning. The man sounded as if he’d spent his
life shouting, his voice hoarse from years of overuse.

“Yeah, well, we have a problem with the Galaxia’s engines.” Craig sighed.

“Then it’s a problem for your mechanic,” Chris
said, lowering the rifle. Now that the threat had been diminished, Steven stood
from his crouched position behind the vehicle and took the man in. He was
sturdily built, obviously a man used to hard, physical labor. His dark, full
beard had two streaks of gray starting at the corners of his mouth. His black
hair was thick, but again there was gray coming in at his temples. His steel
eyes were narrowed, small wrinkles giving him even more signs of his age.

“That would be me,” Steven said, stepping
forward and placing his pistol back in the holster. “I’m Steven Smith, and we
need to talk.”

Chris held up his right hand, and Steven had to
remind himself not to stare. Flipping him off was a cybernetic hand. The
mechanics extended up to his arm and stopped at his shoulder. Instantly Steven
looked down and noticed beneath his swim trunks, his right leg was also a cybernetic
prosthetic.

“Oh come on,” Craig beseeched. “Just hear him
out.”

“Fuck off,” Chris said with a snarl as he
turned and headed back into his shop.

Steven growled and chased after the man. There
was no way in fucking hell he was going to be turned down now that he’d come
here. Screw this guy. He was going to help them even if Steven had to force
him.

“Hey, you.” Steven grabbed the man’s shoulder,
spun him around, and slammed him against the wall. He might not look it, but
Steven was a mechanic and was quite strong. “I don’t care what issues you have
with Sidney and Craig, but I’m here to find a way to fix the Galaxia’s engines. So you’ll swallow
your fucking attitude and listen to me.”

The man laughed, throwing Steven for a loop. He
loosened his grip on the man, and that proved to be a mistake. Chris flipped
their positions, his mechanical hand digging into Steven’s throat. “I built those
engines. Why the fuck should I have to fix them now?”

“What?” Steven gasped. This man built the Galaxia’s engines? But that couldn’t be
right. Struggling, Steven met Chris’s hard steel eyes and froze. Something
stirred inside him as he looked at that cold gaze and felt that prosthetic hand
squeeze around his throat. Something primal that he shouldn’t be feeling.

“Hey, that’s enough,” Tony said with a growl, a
gun appearing at Chris’s temple. “We don’t need you so bad that I’ll stand by
and let you kill one of our crew.”

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Ronan's story is finally here! Killian and Finn are finally making it home after their stint at med school -- I know so many of you have been asking about this story, but they needed time.Also -- this book delves a little more into Project Zed and where that will be going.

While Killian and Finn loved the idea of being sent away to med school
by their alpha, the idea of leaving their mate behind wasn’t ideal.
Doubling up their course load whenever they could wasn’t getting them
done fast enough. When Ronan shows up at their dorm one night, lustful
and needing, they take what’s offered wholeheartedly.

After years
of near misses, Ronan finally confronts Killian and Finn and demands
their touch. Yet once it’s done, he struggles with his feelings. Hearing
the words his vile fathers beat into his head doesn’t help, either.
Unable to cope with what he’s done, he returns home to lick his wounds.

Torn
between their duty to their alpha and their need for the mate they
adore, Killian and Finn stay back to tie up their loose ends before they
return home to build a life for them and their future family.

But
now… now that he was here, potentially only a few doors away, his insecurities
came into play. What if they saw him and weren’t happy he was there? What if
they sent him away?

What
if… what if they weren’t alone?

A
growl rumbled up his throat at the thought of another being with his bears. A
young human female walking past looked up at him, her eyes growing large.
Apparently, he hadn’t done a good job of hiding the sound. She kept moving,
rather quickly, as he spied her over his shoulder, watching her scramble away.
Once she was gone, he turned back to face forward and got another whiff of
their scent.

His
cock thickened even more…

Finish what you’ve started.

One
step came after the next. He passed door after door, the aroma thickening in
his nose and calling him onward. When he sensed it at its strongest, he paused
before a closed door. Ronan turned to face it… but couldn’t find the strength
to lift his hand and knock.

After
all he’d just put himself through… he was chickening out now?

“Hey,
excuse me,” a female’s voice rang out beside him.

Ronan
tilted his head and looked down at a blonde. He supposed the humans would
consider her pretty. “Can I help you?”

She
both grinned and frowned at the same time, an odd mix of curiosity and
irritation filling her features. “I need to get to the door you’re in front
of.”

“Oh,”
he murmured and stepped back slightly.

She
faced the door and knocked… and then glanced over her shoulder with another
smile as she awaited someone to answer. This smile was a bit seductive. Too bad
she didn’t have what he was looking for.

It
took a couple of seconds to realize… if he’d picked the right door…

It
swung open, and he got his first glance at Killian. He gazed down at the girl,
a smile spreading over his face…

Ronan’s
heart thundered in his chest. That smile was enough to make him ache with need.
Yet Killian had never smiled at him like that… not that Ronan had ever given
him a reason to.

“I
was hoping I could take a look at your notes from yesterday’s lecture. I missed
class,” the woman said.

“Sure,”
Killian said before his stare lifted, and he caught Ronan’s. The smile faded.
“What’re you doing here?”

Ronan
felt the heat of Killian’s hands on him, and he struggled to think, let alone
speak.

“What
is it?” Killian demanded, his features twisting with concern. “Are you okay?”

Ronan
nodded, his tongue too tied to speak. His stare roamed over that handsome face.
That face he’d missed so much.

Killian
moved closer—a half step—but it was enough to make Ronan fight back a groan.
His mouth was hungry to taste Killian’s. He licked his lips, almost feeling the
brush of Killian’s over his.

And
then he looked down and remembered they weren’t alone.

“She needed your notes,” Ronan spat,
feeling her stare burning on him. It would be hard enough for him to admit why
he was there. He didn’t need an audience.

Killian
stood a little straighter and cast a glance over his shoulder. “Right.” He
grinned at the girl. “Let me get those for you.” And then Killian took Ronan by
the arm and tugged him inside the room…

Where
Finn lay across his twin-sized bed reading from a textbook. He was shirtless,
and his feet bare. Only a pair of jeans were slung low on his hips. Ronan had a
few seconds to take in the sight before Finn was off the bed and charging forward.

“Why
are you here?” Finn asked as Killian shuffled through papers on his desk.

Finn
was too close. Too hot. Too everything.
Ronan licked his lips again and stared at Finn’s. Oh, how he wanted to plant a
kiss on those lips and catch up on all he’d missed while the pair were away.

“I,
ah,” he started, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. He looked to the
door and saw the woman leaning in, her stare and composure leading him to
believe she was being nosy as hell.

Killian
grabbed a set of papers and handed them to the curious co-ed. “Here you are.”

Without
looking at Killian, she asked, “When do you need them back?” She stared at
Ronan, a half smile playing over her lips.

“I’ve
already typed them up,” he said. “Keep those.”

“Who’s
your handsome friend?” she asked, her smile widening.

“Nobody,”
Killian said, urging her back with the door.

She
grinned wider. “I’d say he’s definitely somebody… to you both.”

“Goodbye,”
Killian said, sounding irritated.

She
pouted slightly, but it didn’t stop Killian from shutting them inside and away
from the world. “Explains a lo—” she said before the door slammed in her face.

Killian
spun to face Ronan. “Why are you
here?”

Can’t a guy come and see his mates? Ronan shook his head. Mates would
imply he’d accepted them as such. He didn’t. He wasn’t like his brother, Tyler,
ready to bow down to a couple of betas. He was a beta himself, not an omega.
Nor was he human.

His
bear roared within. His animal knew the truth, even if he wanted to ignore it.

“Ronan?”
Finn urged.

“Nothing’s
wrong,” he finally said, but then he
stopped before he said too much. Before he admitted he was there because he
missed the pair of them. It had been too long since the last time he’d seen
either male. Early the morning before last, the distance and length had grown
unmanageable.

It
had driven him to risk danger just to see them.

“There
has to be a reason why you crossed treacherous territory to come here,” Killian
said as he stepped closer.

“There
is,” Ronan murmured, fighting the mounting need within him.

“What
is it?” Finn asked, stepping closer.

Ronan
lifted a hand and encircled the back of Finn’s head. “This,” he said seconds
before he forced his lips on Finn’s.

Sunday, January 22, 2017

Yuri has lived his entire life with no freedom, no choice. His situation
only worsens when he finds out he’s being given to an assassin. He
wanted to escape and explore the galaxy, but not as a killer’s
plaything.

Korac wanted Yuri the moment he saw his beautiful
face. He gladly cut his price for the chance to spend a month with the
breathtaking young man writhing beneath him. Only imagining a few weeks
of pleasure, Korac strikes the bargain, clueless as to just how perfect
they truly are for each other.

But they’ll soon find out just how strange fate can be, and how quickly one touch can change everything.

After watching his target for five minutes, Korac felt confident enough to begin pumping the gas in slowly. It was heavily concentrated in the tiny cylinder he held, and it would take several minutes for it to be dispensed. He kept his gaze on the tiny screen and watched the man’s chest rise and fall. It was almost ten minutes later when the man’s breathing stopped. Korac waited five more minutes, not satisfied until he saw blood dripping from the man’s nose. He got out his sensor and slid its probe through another vent hole. He checked life signs three times, each coming up negative. He logged that in the device and labeled it with the man’s initials. He’d transmit it on a secret channel once they were away from the system.

Korac made his way out carefully, though in his desire to return to Yuri he took one corner a bit fast and cut his leg on some jagged metal. He cursed and carried on, one thing clear in his mind.

He had to win Yuri over at all costs. The fact the man could already distract him so much while working told Korac that he’d already fallen too far to walk away.

Yuri sat reading a data pad when Korac returned. He looked up right away, his expression wary yet relieved. Had he been worried about Korac? It seemed possible. Korac got them in the air and away from the planet before returning to Yuri.

“You all right?” Korac asked as he sat down by Yuri.

“Me? You just went out on a dangerous mission. I should be asking you that,” Yuri said.

Korac shrugged. “Wasn’t dangerous. I was very careful.”

Yuri eyed his leg. “That’s blood.”

Korac looked at his torn pants and examined the cut through the tear. “It’s nothing.” But then he had an idea. He yanked his boots off and dropped his pants. “But you can patch me up real quick.”

To Korac’s surprise, Yuri actually rose and returned with a med pack. He knelt and looked at the cut before starting to clean it. “Is he dead?” Yuri asked softly.

“Yes.”

“How did you do it?”

Korac hesitated. “You want to know?”

Yuri shrugged. “Just curious.”

Korac started to say something, then stopped. When Yuri didn’t press him, he said, “Hey, Yuri?”

Yuri looked up from what he was doing.

“Are you afraid of me?” Korac asked.

“You promised not to hurt me.” Yuri rubbed healing ointment into the cut, the skin already healing over the superficial wound.

“Not what I asked.”

Yuri swallowed, which Korac had discerned he did when he was thinking or questioning his own actions. “I guess I am. A little.”

“I don’t want you to be. You aren’t taking me seriously because I started talking about love within an hour of meeting you, but I know what I want when I see it. And I go after it. It was just about how beautiful you are, at first, but I really like you. Everything.” He watched Yuri put the supplies back in the med pack, his gaze averted shyly, and then Korac leaned down and captured Yuri’s chin in his hand. “I want you. I won’t take you back to that nightmare of a life. To that bastard who treated you like chattel. I won’t give up when it comes to you, Yuri.”

“Don’t I get any say in this? Get to be more than chattel?” He sighed. “Doesn’t my happiness matter?”

“I plan on making you very happy.”

Yuri pulled out of his grip. “How would you know what will make me happy?”

“I know what makes you sigh. Makes you moan.” In a whisper, he added, “What makes you come.”

Sunday, January 15, 2017

Welcome Yuki Edo back to my blog -- she's here to share a bit from her yaoi anime inspired story His Roommate from her series Sakura Towers.

Welcome to Sakura Towers, where fantasies come to life.

Hiroki’s new roommate is nothing like he expected, yet Dai is everything Hiroki’s ever wanted in a man. But Dai is in denial about who he really is and what he wants in life. Hiroki isn’t sure he has the strength to drag another man out of the closet.

But before long, Hiroki finds himself with more than enough strength to try. One kiss from Dai tells Hiroki the older man has been hiding from his own desires for far too long.

Hiroki couldn’t help being nervous, but he was also excited. He’d signed the lease the day before, and this morning he was letting himself in to his new penthouse to wait for the movers.

And the only man he’d kissed in the last six months was now his roommate.

He removed his shoes and put them on the empty bottom shelf on the very pristine shoe rack in the entry hall. Even the shoe horn had its own holder, which matched the wood tone of the rack perfectly. Hiroki smiled, liking that Dai was a neat person as well. He licked his lips as he remembered that kiss yet again. It would be so easy to seduce Dai, if he was truly as repressed as he seemed, but Hiroki kept telling himself it wouldn’t be right. He would be taking advantage, and it might end badly. He’d hate it if his brother became angry or if Dai refused to be open about a relationship.

Hiroki could not do that ever again. He’d almost lost his heart to man who couldn’t admit what he truly was, and he needed to stay strong.

That resolve wavered a bit when Dai emerged wearing only faded jeans and a dark green fitted t-shirt. He’d been handsome in nicer clothes, but the casual look had its own appeal. Dai smiled, looking a bit nervous as well.

“Welcome home, Hiroki.” His smile wavered a bit. “How are you today?”

“Good. The movers will be here soon. I’m glad the elevator is so spacious.”

“Yes, they take very good care of the penthouse residents here. One of our neighbors is having a party next weekend and said I should bring you along. It would be a good way to meet other tenants. Ichiro-san is a director with a publishing house. Being in language arts, you’ll have a lot to talk about with him and his friends, I’m sure. He said he’d be happy to introduce you to them.”

Hiroki couldn’t help grinning. “That’s amazing. I can’t wait to meet him. It would be a good networking opportunity.” He sighed. “My brother will be pleased with that.”

Dai crossed his arms and hesitated before saying, “He has high hopes for you. Thinks a lot of you. Does he really push you so much?”

Hiroki laughed. “He can be about as bad as my parents, but he means well. I don’t mind that much. I know it’s done affectionately.” He laughed again. “Though it doesn’t always feel that way.”

“I’m an only child, though both of my parents have younger siblings.”

“Do you spend a lot of time with your family?”

“Not that much. Just a few times a year. Dinners in Tokyo now and then. They’re disappointed I’m not married yet. I’m thirty-three, and they’re dismayed by me, honestly. They think I should settle down because my career is stable.”

“Oh.” Hiroki didn’t know what else to say. “They want grandchildren?”

“I think what they really want is proof I’m not gay. I believe they’ve made it so clear that it would be intolerable to, well, scare me into what they consider normalcy.”

“They suspect then?”

“I believe so. I never felt it was right to lead on the girls they tried to set me up with. They must have some idea, but they’ll never say anything, of course. Even talking about the subject would be too much for them.”

Hiroki tried to hold his tongue but found he couldn’t. “Based on what I felt in that kiss, you’ll end up very unhappy if you spend your entire life pretending.”

“I’m already un…” He stopped and sighed, trailing off. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do. It’s good to finally have someone to talk to.”

The elevator chimed, and Hiroki walked over to it, though he looked back at Dai as he spoke with the men and pressed the button to let them up. When he walked back over, he said, “We can talk any time. I want us to be friends. I’ve been through ups and downs since I came out. I’m willing to share.” I’m also willing to show you how good it could be. He clasped his hands behind his back, his grip tight as he tried to tell himself not to think that way. He should focus on being Dai’s friend, not trying to seduce him.

“Thank you,” Dai said before leading the way to prop the door open for the movers.

Hiroki stared at the floor a moment. No use getting worked up now. I knew what I was getting into coming here. He lifted his gaze to Dai’s back. Knew I wanted him. Would be tempted. He blinked to try to clear his expression. He thought of all the objections he’d raised in his mind throughout the morning, suddenly realizing he’d been protesting so hard to deny what he’d really done.

Sunday, January 8, 2017

Welcome Nicholas Bella to my blog today as he shares a bit of his recent release, Origins: Episode 1 of Cobra: The Gay Vigilante Series.

Hello and thank you so much for having me, I'm very honored to be featured here. I’m a pretty laid back person, my favorite thing is to relax at home. I’m a hardcore movie buff and TV addict. I love to write, it’s really a passion of mine and I love entertaining the many readers out there looking for something dark, sexy and dangerous. I’m the author of the New Haven, Demon Gate and Cobra: The Gay Vigilante Series. According to my fans, I feel obligated to warn any new readers that these books are highly addictive. :D

"He saw me as his hero, but I'm nobody's hero."At least that's what I tell myself. My name is Eric Cayden, and I'm a man with some pretty extraordinary abilities. It's because I have these superhuman powers, my best friend, Jordan, sees me as hero material. I'm not the only one in the world with special abilities, of course. Some people have already stepped up to the plate and made themselves martyrs, but I'm not about self-sacrificing for the greater good and all that crap. Not anymore. I've already bled for my country. Now, I just want to live a normal life in the shadows and make a lot of money doing odd jobs on the side. Is that too much to ask? Well, according to my friend, Jordan, I'm destined to be something better than a glorified errand boy. He thinks I have a higher calling. He thinks I can be a hero. Well, I'm not too sure about the hero part, but I do hate it when bad people get away with doing evil things. So maybe, just maybe Jordan has a point. We'll see, won't we? Warning: This is a novelette serial series that will be coming at you fully loaded with hot, gay sex. Yes, there will be all kinds of bodily fluids splashing and squirting in all directions with each episode. Expect body parts to be sliced, diced, gouged, and even ripped apart because I don't half step. This is a series intended for adults only, who want a superhero that loves to play dirty... and by dirty, I mean grimy as hell. Find Nicholas here:

Saturday, January 7, 2017

One of my older series -- The Wolves of Mt. Alexis -- is now available on Kindle Unlimited. For those of you with a subscription, you can read the entire series for free!Kindle readers without a subscription can still purchase the book, too.

Wednesday, January 4, 2017

In this fourth installment of our little series, April and I have had fun with some very lustful characters... I hope you enjoy!

Bestselling Gay Erotic Romance Authors Kelex and
April Andrews return to the world of Bound for a new duo of hot erotic
tales from the club.Bumfuck Revisted by Kelex
Running from a mistake, Rory Burgess heads to his cousin Levi, the
only person he can think to turn to. Levi hesitantly lets Rory stay. A
BDSM club isn’t exactly the best place for a well-known manwhore to
reside without wreaking havoc.

When he meets Jack, Rory senses a connection he can’t fathom, but
Jack just might be out of his reach. The man hasn’t touched anyone
sexually in years.

A voyeur, Jack gets his kicks from watching. He comes to the club
for the ample shows, happy to stand at the edges to observe. But when
the temptation to caress Rory drives him to distraction, he crosses his
own lines in a bid to have a taste of forbidden fruit.

Playing It Hard by April Andrews
A year ago Anson met Niall at Bound. They spent just one erotic night
together and since then Anson has not been able to get the other man
out of his mind. Night after night he has dreamed about him and day
after day he has thought about him.

One winter night, after another torturous dream, Anson finds himself
back in Bound...and to his surprise and delight Niall is there too.

If Anson has Niall just once more will he be able to finally lay the
memory of the other man to rest? Or will he find that
once...twice...will never be enough, and that he has been, and he is destined to be, forever bound by lust?

Sunday, January 1, 2017

Happy New Year!My first guest author spotlight of 2017 is M.A. Church as she shares a little about In Enemy Hands.

Two very different civilizations—one bathed in bright sunlight,
and the other veiled in shadow.

Bad decisions, declining resources, and a king on the brink of
madness force Prince Varo Kutchif, third son of the royal family and a starship
captain, to attempt the impossible: barter for Black Phospolrock, an energy
source the mysterious Helkan kingdom has in abundance. Varo opens a line of
communication with Adlar, an intriguing Helkan who seems to reciprocate Varo’s
interest. He hopes so, because if negotiations collapse, Varo has orders to
attack.

The Helkans preside over a planet shrouded in perpetual
darkness. Several species have tried to exploit its natural
resources through trade with them, but all have failed. Adlar Mondur is
the older brother to the Helkan ruler. An assassin of the highest order, he’ll
do anything to protect his king and his people—including tracking down the
Yesri prince who crash-lands on their planet, leaving an ugly scar across its
untouched beauty.

Thus begins a journey where two men from disparate civilizations
grow from enemies to lovers.

Snarling,
Varo paced in his private bridge office. Jerking his luxurious cowlarium-hide
desk chair around, he flopped down. Long white-blond hair fell over his
shoulder. Irritated, he shoved it out of the way. He should’ve braided it this
morning, but he’d gotten up late.

He rested
his chin on his knuckles and stared out the port window into the unrelieved
darkness that was space, scowling. Planet Helkan was his focus—with its
permanent swirling cloud cover that more times than not denied their in-depth
scans.

Its
classification was that of a Darkrealm planet. Thanks to the cloud cover
playing peekaboo, only filtured light got through. As such, its ecosystem
either didn’t require much sunlight to live, or its fauna created its own photosynthesize
non-visible light. No one knew much about the planet’s race since they didn’t
travel off-planet much. The ones who did were said to be reserved, unfriendly,
and uncommunicative. Cold, even.

Varo
picked up a report from his desk and scanned it once more. The description of
the inhabitants as cold seemed appropriate. His reports said they were a tall,
pale-skinned people with long black hair, pointed ears, slit pupiled eyes, and
excellent night vision.

Many of
their cities were believed to either be located underground or built into cliff
faces. Even though their technology was superior, that didn’t mean they weren’t
barbaric and ruthless. Animals, really.

There
were also rumors others had attacked the planet at one point long ago. It was
believed to be for the Black Phospolrock crystals. That prompted the Helkans to
protect themselves in the form of a planetary grid.

The
Satellite Surveillance Network, or SSN, was a system of closely linked
satellites that circled the planet. They formed a grid around Helkan. Beams of
energy linked the satellites together. They incorporated their own shields so
asteroids wouldn’t destroy them, but neither could a starship’s weapons system.

Others
had tried in the past. When ships encountered the grid, the main computers
shorted out, leaving the crippled vessels to crash-land on the planet. No one
had any idea what became of the survivors.

When
ambassadors from other planets tried to open talks about prisoners, the Helkans
made it painfully clear they didn’t release hostages. Questions arose. Were
they being treated humanely? Being taken care of? Were they given basic
necessities like food, water, and shelter? Were they being tortured? Enslaved?
If so, what did that slavery entail?

More
disturbing was the gossip Helkans had fangs and drank blood. As a race they had
a terrible reputation, but they were reputed to be gorgeous monsters. Common
sense said to avoid them since they were dangerous and existed solely on the
fringe of society, but common sense often failed when greed was factored in.

The
whispered rumors they took prisoners and used them as a food source only
increased other societies’ repulsion and curiosity. Varo shivered. Who knew
what was true? Many reviled—and feared—the Helkans even as they tried to bargain
with them. The fact they didn’t leave their planet often didn’t help the gossip
about them either.

When
certain leaderships, like his father’s, became aggressive in their tactics, the
Helkans closed their planet borders and refused outsiders the right to enter
their space. How his father thought he could broker anything with a species as
uncivilized as this one was beyond him. He’d been set up to fail, but failure
was not an option. It did not pay to have His Royal Majesty discontented. The
blood-soaked floors of his dungeons proved that.

But that
wasn’t what was most disconcerting. His orders—straight from the king
himself—were to attack if no agreement could be reached. His targets were King
Omori Mondur and his brother, Adlar Mondur.

The very
idea turned his stomach. While he was willing to die in the line of duty,
murder was something completely different. If he attacked it would be
considered an act of war. Lives would be lost—possibly his own. And over what?
A stupid rock.

But what
could he do? His father made it perfectly clear he considered him dispensable.
If he didn’t follow orders, His Royal Highness had been clear: his crew would
suffer for his disobedience.

He had a
choice: murdering beings based on nothing more than their unwillingness to share
their riches—and in the process, possibly forfeiting his own life along with
his crew’s—or facing the insanity that masqueraded as his father’s rule.

His Royal
Highness’s plan was to disrupt the planetary government of Helkan with the
murders of the king and his brother… then the Yesri would invade. The few
advisors brave enough to point out the various flaws in the plan had been
relieved of their duties—permanently. His father brooked no disagreement. Varo
was doomed. If the Helkans didn’t kill him, then his father most assuredly
would. After all, his father had an heir and a spare; he didn’t need Varo.

He
checked his comm. After making a pest of himself, he’d managed to attract the
Helkans’ attention. He’d sent numerous hails requesting an audience with the
king. Finally he received a message back informing him he would be granted an
opportunity to speak.

He took a
deep breath to steady his nerves. This was it. One way or the other. Releasing
the breath, he composed his demeanor, sat at his desk, and had the incoming
message transferred to the on-screen viewer. The blurred images jumped and
hissed across the screen and then cleared.

And every
thought he had flew out of his head.

The
breath froze in Varo’s chest as he stared. There on the screen was the most
gorgeous creature Varo had ever laid eyes on. Long, glossy black hair cascaded
over his shoulders and disappeared from sight.

A narrow
face that was hauntingly beautiful peered back at Varo. Full lips that tilted
up in a slight smirk drew Varo’s attention. A tingle raced up Varo’s spine and
nailed him in the back of the head. Varo was suddenly achingly hard and more
than a little horrified by his response.

But the
otherworldliness of the face on screen was nothing compared to the eyes, the
striking yellow eyes that studied and cataloged Varo too. The tremble that
threatened to shake Varo’s frame caught him off guard. The look in that gaze
was a mixture of scorching heat and frosty coolness—a predator who had Varo in
his sights. The danger he felt flamed his body.

“Captain
Varo of Yesri, I am Adlar. How may I be of service?”

The soft
taunting voice and the hint of fang he saw snapped him out of his momentary
distraction. Gathering his tattered dignity around him, he lifted his chin.
“Greetings from His Royal Highness King Drea Kutchif, supreme ruler of the
planet Yesri. I have been tasked with the mission of approaching your king
concerning a possible agreement about obtaining rights to Black Phospolrock.
Would it be possible to me to speak with King Omori?”

Varo held
his breath. Was this Adlar the king’s brother? Was that why he did not offer a
last name? And if Adlar was royalty, why would he not announce himself as such?
How… odd.

“Unfortunately
no. A small emergency cropped up and King Omori was detained. I would ask that
in his stead, you deal with me. Tell me of this proposal you come bearing.”

It was
not what he hoped for, but it was better than nothing. As Varo recited the
terms and stipulations, he wished desperately he could remove his uniform jacket.
He knew perfectly well his office was climate controlled, but sweat was
trickling down the small of his back, distracting him. His dry mouth certainly
did not help his attempts to sound articulate. Stars, he hadn’t sweated like
this since he was a cadet.

As he
rattled off the terms, he fought the urge to squirm. Adlar’s gaze unnerved him…
and excited him. The brief glimpses of fangs were horrifyingly erotic, and a
complete bewilderment as to why that affected him. For once he was thankful the
screen only showed him from the waist up.

Instinct
told him Adlar would not only notice his arousal, but use it to his advantage.
That was unacceptable. His voice roughened as he spoke. The situation
infuriated him. He refused to let a certain part of his anatomy lead him
around, even if his body had suddenly decided Adlar was the
soon-to-be star of his fantasies.

“I will
speak with King Omori and bring your proposal to him. I’m sure he will have
questions. May I contact you?”

Varo
couldn’t believe it. Of all the possible outcomes he envisioned, this was
certainly not one. From all the things they’d heard about the Helkans, this
reasonable response was confounding.

“I would
very much like to speak with you again,” Varo said. “I don’t suppose you’d be
willing to come here and speak face-to-face, would you?”

“I’m
afraid not. But thank you for the invitation.”

Varo
started to offer him assurances of his safety, but paused. If this Adlar was
indeed related to the king, then he couldn’t in good faith do that. Stars knew if
his king found out he had the brother of the Helkan king on his ship and didn’t
take him prisoner… it didn’t bear thinking about.

“I see.
That’s too bad.” He refused to admit even to himself how badly he’d like to
meet Adlar face-to face. “Please use this secured subspace frequency again for
any questions you may have. And I thank you for your willingness to share my
king’s words with yours.”

“It was
my pleasure.” Adlar nodded and then signed off.

As soon
as the screen went black, Varo stripped off his warm jacket and dropped it on
the small couch in his office. After ordering up a glass of cool, fresh water,
he released the tight hold on his body and slumped on the couch next to his
jacket.

Well,
that short conversation had been a fountain of knowledge. The Helkans were not
as obtuse as first thought. At least he hoped. He also learned the mental image
he’d had of them as tall and wraith-thin monsters was also false. Inconceivably
false, as his hard cock could testify.

He
glanced down at his dick, which was just now deflating. Why in the two moons of
Helkan had his libido decided now to make itself known? And
toward this race? He scrubbed his hands over his face. It was a fluke, nothing
more. Lack of sleep and stress had finally gotten the better of him. That was
all.

It had to
be.

Several
unit hours passed as he tried to distract himself. He checked over crew
schedules and read through several status reports on various parts of his ship.
He okayed an accident report, several requests for transfers to different ship
departments needed to be read over and decided upon, and a note from the ship’s
doctor that he was due for medical checkup he could attend to either here or on
planet once they were back in port.

The day
passed slowly, even though he tried to keep his mind occupied with the daily
happenings aboard the ship. By the time end of shift came, he was climbing the
walls. He wanted to hear Adlar’s voice again. Maybe he needed to have his head
examined when it came time for his medical checkup.

Just as
he was getting ready to leave his private office on the bridge, his comm
signaled an incoming message. His heart pounded. This was past becoming
ridiculous. The readout showed it was from Adlar. His heart rate increased as
he transferred the message from his comm to his viewing screen.

Then it
dropped as he struggled to keep the disappointment from his face when the image
on the screen was not who he expected. Instead it was King Omori. That was
good. Very, very good. Maybe if he said it enough, he could convince himself of
that.

He
quickly explained the reason for his mission and outlined the plan his king had
given him.

King
Omori held up his hand and halted the conversation. “There seems to be some
misunderstanding. We do not grant mining rights. Ever. The one time we allowed
another race to come on planet and mine, the results were disastrous.”

“But I
outlined a plan to your spokesman, Adlar. We would only use as many miners as
needed, use equipment that you sanctioned, and are willing to be supervised.
It’s a very generous package.”

“I am not
sure if Adlar understood you were talking about mining rights.
From what he told me, you were talking about the rights to Black Phospolrock. I
assumed you meant you wanted to speak about an exclusive import agreement with
us concerning the crystal.”

“I… I….”
Varo replayed the earlier conversation and was mortified to see he hadn’t
specified mining rights. Was he so bedazzled by Adlar that he
was careless in his negotiations? What had he done? “I apologize for not clarifying
my intent. If it would be at all possible—”

“Captain
Varo, while I believe the sincerity of your proposal, I’m afraid the proposal
isn’t possible. As I stated, we do not allow anybody on planet. At this point
I’m also not convinced selling the Black Phospolrock is worth the headache it
would entail.”

“Your
Majesty, please, if we could just—”

“If we
supplied one race, we would be opening ourselves up to sharing with many races.
Which eventually would lead to having to deal with others
coming on planet.”

Varo
couldn’t believe this was happening. “But—”

“Eventually
that’s going to lead to problems. It always does. One race is going to feel
another race is getting more than their fair share, or is getting a better
deal, or will have some complaint that, no matter how invalid it is, will blow
up into a disagreement.”

“Maybe
not! We could supply guards to help control—”

“That’s
the last thing we want,” King Omori said. “Not to mention every time we send
the shipment out, we would have to lower our planetary defenses, which opens up
avenues for unscrupulous people to attack. I’m sorry, Captain Varo. The answer
is no.”

Oh
goddess. He actually thought he was going to be able to negotiate this trade
agreement, and now it was falling all the pieces. That left him with one
option, an option he truly detested.

“I also
would ask that you leave our airspace immediately.”

M.A. Church is a true Southern belle who spent many years in the elementary education sector. Now she spends her days lost in fantasy worlds, arguing with hardheaded aliens on far-off planets, herding her numerous shifters, or trying to tempt her country boys away from their fishing poles.